Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is confronting rare and intensifying dissent from within his regime and among the public, as Israeli airstrikes and economic instability converge to strain his grip on power.
At a Glance
- Elite frustrations are rising as Israeli strikes dismantle Iran’s defense infrastructure
- Public fear has turned to anger, triggering protests and mass arrests
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is aggressively cracking down on dissent
- Khamenei publicly blamed Israel and vowed a “bitter fate” for its leadership
- Analysts warn the regime could fracture under dual pressure from war and civil unrest
Military Setbacks Expose Leadership Weakness
Israel’s Operation Rising Lion has decimated key IRGC facilities and killed several top commanders, shaking the perception of Iran’s military strength. According to The Wall Street Journal, the strikes have revealed Khamenei’s vulnerability, as some insiders begin to question whether he miscalculated the nation’s readiness for such a conflict.
Public Fear Turns to Fury
Across Tehran, Isfahan, and Natanz, civilians have expressed fear of continued airstrikes—but also outrage at their government’s lack of preparedness. Reuters reports that protests have broken out, while strikes by truckers and public sector workers reflect deepening economic discontent. As The Guardian notes, public sentiment is shifting rapidly from anxiety to defiance.
The regime has responded with arrests, internet blackouts, and the deployment of plainclothes agents to quell dissent, a strategy that may suppress unrest short-term but risks inflaming it further.
The Supreme Leader’s Dilemma
Khamenei has publicly declared that Israel “initiated a war” and has vowed harsh retribution. However, as detailed in the Wall Street Journal, the regime is trapped between a collapsing economy and a military unable to deter future strikes. His options are narrowing, and pressure is growing both inside and outside Iran to find a strategic exit—or face a slow internal unraveling.
What’s Next
Khamenei’s future may depend not on what happens in Tel Aviv, but in Tehran. If elite factions lose confidence in his leadership, or if the protest movement accelerates, the regime’s cohesion could erode. His next moves—whether to escalate militarily or offer domestic concessions—will shape Iran’s trajectory in the days ahead. The Islamic Republic’s stability now hangs in the balance.
